


Ask and Tell

by allypx



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Episode: s04e12 The Stolen Earth, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-07
Updated: 2012-04-07
Packaged: 2017-11-03 05:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/377624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allypx/pseuds/allypx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Gwen asks questions, Jack doesn’t answer, and Ianto has about 3 lines of dialogue and still manages to steal the show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ask and Tell

**Author's Note:**

> Betad by: A cast of thousands, but special credit and thanks to likeitisntso, electrictoes and bookwrm89.

  
Jack's head was pounding; the UNIT driver that Martha had commandeered to take him back to Cardiff had talked non-stop for almost the entire length of the M4. He leaned his aching head on the cool surface of the side window and stared, unseeing, at the passing scenery.  
  
"Doesn't this thing go any faster?" he complained.  
  
"Not over the Severn Bridge, Sir," replied the driver, "there is a fifty mile an hour limit you know." The snarky comment reminded Jack of Ianto and he allowed himself a small smile, "In a hurry to get back, are we Sir? Mrs Harkness waiting?"  
  
Jack laughed and shook his head "Not exactly."  
  
The driver gave him a knowing look as he pulled the vehicle up at the toll booth, leaning across Jack to rummage in the glove box.  
  
"Really, Sergeant, this is hardly the most appropriate place to..." he began. Even Jack had to admit that the innuendo wasn't up to his usual standard, but really his head ached too badly to make much more of an effort. The driver glared at him as he brandished his UNIT pass at Jack.  
  
"We'll be needing this, unless you've got the toll fee?" Jack shook his head. "Typical!" muttered the driver under his breath.  
  
Jack leant back against the window and shut his eyes, hoping that if he pretended to be asleep, the other man would take the hint and stay quiet for the remainder of the journey.  
  
He drifted into any uneasy sleep and dreamed of Gwen trying to reason with a Dalek which seemed intent on exterminating a traumatised Ianto.  
  
He awoke with a gasp, taking a steadying deep breath as he took in his surroundings. The driver was looking at him curiously. The vehicle was stationary in a queue of traffic, the Millennium Centre clearly visible.  
  
"You can pull in over there." he gestured towards the Plass.  
  
"Sir" replied the driver, pulling away smoothly from the newly-green light.  
  
Jack was out of the vehicle almost before it stopped. He walked quickly around to the driver’s window,  
  
"Thank you, Sergeant...?" he realised he hadn't even asked the man his name.  
  
"Walters, Sir." he supplied.  
  
"Thank you Sergeant _Walters __._ " Jack nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
"Pleasure, Sir", Walters saluted, Jack nodded a second time then strode off across the Plass without so much as a backward glance.  
  
                                                                 ---  
  
The enthusiasm of Gwen's welcome threatened to overbalance the pair of them as she threw her arms around Jack's neck. She laughed breathlessly as he span her around before setting her carefully back down, then swayed dizzily watching as he looked slowly around the Hub.  
  
Gwen's desk was its usual chaotic pile of precariously balanced files and her computer was barely visible with its randomly placed fluorescent post-it notes. The only obvious attempt to fix it was the photograph of a smiling Toshiko and Owen placed reverently into a small clutter-free oasis to one side.  
  
The coffee station, by contrast, showed no obvious ill-effects from its impromptu dash across the Universe, save for a distinct lack of mugs. A medium-sized pile of masonry was neatly stacked by the Rift pool. The coat stand, that had wedged itself into the sub-etheric resonator as the Hub had shaken, was gone. All Ianto's doing, Jack suspected. He couldn't see into his office from where he stood, but somehow he knew that it would be immaculate.  
  
  
Jack felt Gwen tugging at the sleeve of his coat insistently and allowed her to lead him over to the battered old sofa. He shrugged off his coat and threw it over the back of the sofa, then sank down on it and put his feet up on the coffee table. Gwen sat down one foot tucked underneath her, her knee almost touching Jack's thigh.  
  
"Are you alright, Jack?"  
  
He smiled wearily at her earnest expression."Oh, you know." he shrugged evasively.  
  
"Well, no. I don't..." she said slowly, "Are you going to tell me?"  
  
Jack shook his head briskly, and then screwed his eyes up at the pain it caused. As Gwen opened her mouth to respond Jack cut in.  
  
"I see you had company while I was away." he nodded towards the destroyed Dalek. It still smelt of burnt wiring, its limply-hanging antennae giving it a slightly comical look.  
  
  
Gwen shuddered, "Creepy, isn't if? I've asked Ianto a couple of times to move it, or do _something ___with it, but..." she shrugged her shoulders. Jack stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"Please tell me you didn't."  
  
"What? It's too heavy for me to move." she objected.  
  
"Gwen!" replied Jack, exasperated.  
  
"What?" she repeated, looking confused. Jack gave her an ‘ _if you don't know I'm not gonna tell you’ ___  look.  
  
Gwen bit her lip thoughtfully, casting her mind back to the three of them stood huddled together in front of the monitor. As the terrifying "Exterminate! Exterminate!" had rung out across the Hub, Ianto had paled visibly and Jack had instantly pulled him into a comforting embrace, kissing him on the head. Gwen had known nothing of Daleks until that moment, but it was obvious that both men did. Realisation finally dawned.  
  
"Oh God! " she exclaimed, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. Her wide eyes gazed at Jack. "Me and my big mouth!"  
  
Jack didn't even bother to contradict her.  
  
"Canary Wharf," she said in an undertone. "I'm sorry, Jack. I forgot. I'll apologise to him. Yes, apologise." she nodded, emphatically.  
  
Jack smiled at her approvingly. She leaned forward, hands clasped between her knees.  
  
"So," she said, desperate to change the subject, voice artificially cheerful. "You managed to find the Doctor then? Obviously, and found us alright...in space... sorted everything out?  
  
Jack tried to pay attention as Gwen chattered on, asking about lost moons ("Where is Poosh, exactly?") and spatial genetic multiplicity ("...I didn't understand a word of that, did you?"); Toshiko's time lock  ("She saved our life"); about how her mam had lost her tablets ("in a hell of a state, apparently, so Rhys said"); and about the Doctor ("...between you and me, I think Ianto was a bit jealous").  
  
Jack lost the thread of her conversation as he looked distractedly around the Hub wondering where the other member of his team was. At length, Gwen ran out of breath and the monologue ceased.  
  
  
"Jack!" She tapped him on the arm and looked at him expectantly. "Have you heard a word I've said?"  
  
"Can we do this another time?" He looked imploringly at Gwen. "Right now I just need..." the sentence trailed away.  
  
"What do you need, Jack?" Gwen asked gently, her expression hopeful.  
  
 _What do I need? I need you to give me some space. To. Just. Stop. Asking...I need this headache to go away...I need coffee - Ianto's coffee...I need eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, preferably in Ianto's bed and specifically with Ianto in it...I need, I need to see him...I need Ianto. _ ____  
  
"Where is he, Gwen? Where's Ianto?" he asked, before she could launch into another round of questions and observations.  
  
Gwen frowned, feeling slightly put out. She had been sure that Jack would want an update on how they had coped with the Daleks, and there were still things she wanted to ask.  
  
  
"Sleeping. He was here all night." she explained.  
  
Jack glanced in the direction of his office, a smile lighting up his face. Gwen nodded; her mouth set in a tight line. Jack jumped up from the sofa, kissed her soundly on the top of the head and headed off towards his office.  
                                                               ---  
  
"Ianto! IANTO!" he called loudly, his voice echoing around the Hub  
  
Ianto emerged from Jack's office, bleary-eyed and still looking tired. His waistcoat was unbuttoned and he muttered under his breath as he tried to put his jacket on, hindered by an inside-out sleeve.  
  
"Gwen, I thought I heard Jack, is he...?" his words trailed away as he caught sight of Jack.  
  
A huge smile spread across Jack's face at the sight of the mussed-up Ianto.  
  
"Jack" Ianto said softly, as he made to go and greet him, but after a couple of steps he hesitated and stood motionless, checking his impulse to rush to Jack. There was no need to make Jack think that he had doubted whether he would come back, because Jack had promised him he would and Ianto had believed him. No need to show his overwhelming relief that Jack was alive and well when he had seen him on the feed from the TARDIS and knew he was safe. No need at all to pull Jack into his arms and never let him go.  
  
No need at all...  
  
  
Gwen watched from her vantage point on the sofa as Jack ran up the stairs before slowly walking towards Ianto, who had come to an abrupt halt in front of the large circular window in front of Jack's office. As Jack came within arms length of Ianto, he reached out a tentative hand and softly stroked his face, looking at him steadily. Ianto smiled a gentle, reassuring smile in reply.  
  
Gwen stared, transfixed, as Jack slid one hand around the back of Ianto's head, the other hand slipping under his jacket, coming to rest in the small of his back. Jack's contented sigh as Ianto took half a step forward and finally put his arms around Jack was audible even to her.  
  
Gwen wished that she was somewhere else; anywhere where she didn't have to watch Jack and Ianto. Her reunion with him had been full of squeals and laughter and relief. It had been brief. This, she mused, glancing over at the two men, was different. She had expected frantic and fierce on Jack's part certainly, with Ianto reciprocating with a degree of embarrassment. The quiet calmness surprised her; it was startlingly intimate. Gwen felt more intrusive than the night she had disturbed them in the hothouse. She stood up slowly and walked away.  
  
                                                                 ---  
  
Ianto's neck was warm under Jack's fingers, his thumb stroking at the point where Ianto's hair curled above his collar. Jack closed his eyes, breathing in the reassuringly familiar scent of Gucci and freshly ironed cotton. He felt Ianto pull him fractionally closer, one hand coming to rest on his hip, the other tightly across his shoulders. Jack let out a somewhat shaky breath as Ianto's warm hand began to gently rub away the tension in his shoulders. The pounding in his head started to ease as Ianto's reassuring presence calmed him.  
  
  
If Ianto felt at all self conscious, as Jack wrapped himself around him in front of Gwen, he hid it well. He sensed her presence without acknowledging it and allowed Jack to just hold him.  
  
How long they stood there, oblivious to anything around them, Ianto couldn't tell. He was only aware of Jack, of the hand sliding over the silk of his waistcoat; the feel of Jack breathing, each inhale and exhale in counterpoint to his own, the warmth of him against his neck.  
  
At length, Jack released his hold, pulling back until Ianto was fully in focus and looked quizzically at him.  
  
 _Are you alright? Please, take me home? _ ____  
  
Ianto seemingly understood what he was being asked without a word being exchanged between them. He nodded and Jack's answering smile lit up his face. Jack relinquished his hold but didn't move away, still crowded into Ianto's personal space.  
  
"Right, if you've finished with the dashing hero thing," Ianto teased "that geek in Splott has been posting pictures of Weevils on Facebook again."  
  
Jack laughed loudly at the absurd _normality _ ____of Ianto's greeting. He tugged Ianto back into a fierce, but brief, embrace before finally allowing him to gently disentangle himself.  
  
  
Jack bounded down the stairs towards Gwen, who was now sat at her desk distractedly tearing a tissue into minute pieces. She looked up as he approached her; Ianto close beside him with Jack's coat draped over his arm.  
  
"Okay," said Jack briskly, as Ianto helped him on with his coat "places to go...."  
  
  
Gwen sprang up from her chair, the shredded tissue scattering like confetti. She looked at him incredulously.  
  
"Excuse me? You just got back and what, you're leaving again!" Jack winced at the shrill tone of her voice. "Jack, you can't!"  
  
Jack crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her quizzically.  
  
"Ianto," she turned her attention to him appealing for his support, "well, say something" she insisted.  
  
Ianto resolutely looked away, leaned against the edge of the desk and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Gwen looked furious.  
  
"I need you...we need you here." she corrected herself, casting a guilty look at Ianto. His expression remained unreadable. "You can't expect me to do all this..." she gestured around the Hub "with just Ianto to help me."  
  
“Ianto will be coming with me.” Jack told Gwen matter-of-factly.  
  
“Brilliant! So now you’re _both __ ___sodding off and leaving! How am I supposed to manage?” Gwen was shouting now.  
  
Ianto looked at the standoff between the two of them; Gwen, hands on her hips, eyes shining bright, her body language screaming confrontation; and Jack...he just looked confused, as if he had no idea as to what sparked such a reaction.  
  
“I think,” Ianto said, stepping closer to them, “that you misunderstood Jack, Gwen.”  
  
“I’m waiting” she replied slowly, deliberately, trying to keep her temper in check “I’m waiting for one of you to tell me when you’ll be back.” She looked at each man in turn expectantly.  
  
Jack laughed. Not a wise reaction in Ianto’s opinion: he had seen Gwen with a full head of steam in an argument and Jack had probably just made things even worse.  
  
“Jack!” Gwen insisted.  
  
“And here was me thinking I was in charge round here. Did you two stage a coup while I was gone?” he asked Ianto.  
  
Ianto shook his head and smothered a laugh. Gwen glared at him angrily and his smile faded away.  
  
Jack studied Gwen’s face and saw a combination of anger, hurt and... was that fear? She looked close to tears now and in an instant he realised what she was so scared of. He moved towards her and enveloped her in a hug.  
  
“Oh, Gwen...you crazy...” he shook his head, “where on earth do you think we were...” he sighed into her hair, unable to voice her fear out loud. “I’m just going home.” he said quietly. “I just need one evening, one normal evening.”  
  
Gwen pulled out of his hold and looked up at him.  
  
“Home?” she repeated. Jack nodded and shrugged.  
  
“Ianto is coming with me, because, for one it’s his flat.  Be kinda rude not to ask him, don’t ya think?”  
  
Gwen gave a strange shaky little laugh.  
  
“You idiot, Jack Harkness!” she said slapping him on the arm. “and you’re just as bad.” she pointed at Ianto, who was looking at the pair of them with a fond smile on his face, “Letting me think you were off gallivanting around in outer space.”  
  
“Hey, I never __mentioned ____space!” Jack objected. “Ianto! Home now?”  
  
Ianto nodded, smiling broadly. “Yep.”  
  
Jack sighed happily. “Pasta and beer? Do we have beer?” he asked eagerly.

“Yes, we have beer.” Ianto replied, smiling indulgently at Jack as a  warm hand closed on his shoulder.  
  
“Early night?” he asked, grinning.  
  
“Probably” replied Ianto, leaning across Jack to kiss Gwen on the cheek. “Call us if you need help?” Gwen nodded.  
  
“Go on, get out of here!” she admonished them “I’ll see you in the morning.” She sat down at her desk and turned her chair to watch them leave.  
  
“Night, Gwen.” Jack called over his shoulder, wrapping an arm around Ianto’s waist as the two men made their way across the Hub towards the door. Their quiet conversation drifted towards her as they got further away.  
  
“...so much to tell you, Ianto, you won’t believe...”  
  
“.....know you don’t have...”  
  
And then Gwen was alone. She allowed herself a moment before starting work, imagining the scene at Ianto’s flat: Jack telling Ianto over dinner about all that had happened to him while he had been away with the Doctor.  
  
As she switched on her computer it occurred to her that from the moment Jack returned he had not answered a single one of her questions.  
  
Fin.


End file.
